Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Oct 14: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said the situation in the State was not conducive for holding elections due to the recent floods and warned that there could be “zero percentage turn out” in Srinagar.
The Chief Minister told reporters after meeting Home Minister Rajnath Singh that while the State Government has the capability to hold the elections, a distinction should be made whether it is the opportune time.
He, however, made it clear that it was the Election Commission which would take a final call.
“Look my party (National Conference) has made it very clear that this is not the opportune time to hold the polls. We believe that at this point of time people are struggling to rebuild their life,” he said.
The Chief Minister said the recent floods had not hit some sparsely populated rural areas but some of the most heavily populated areas of Kashmir Valley.
“The capital city anyway had less than optimum turnout in elections. Tomorrow when zero percentage turnout will happen in Srinagar, who will you blame for that. You certainly cannot blame me.
“Because I am not the one who is pushing for elections. You have to blame those people who are trying to hold elections,” he said.
Omar said by holding elections at this point of time, more misery will be brought to people and hence the National Conference made it clear its stand to the Election Commission even though the party was in minority in that meeting.
Omar rubbished the waving of ISIS flag in the Valley as an act by “some idiots” which the media was “unfortunately” trying to highlight.
“You have to understand that no ISIS group has been identified so far in the Valley. The flag of the ISIS was waved by some idiots which does not mean that ISIS has any presence in Kashmir. Unfortunately, some channels have tried to make an issue out of this and drag me into this as if we are not doing anything on this,” Omar said.
He said the flag was waved on three occasions by some youths for some time and in each matter a case was registered and some arrests have also been made.
“The tailor who made this flag has also been identified and action is being taken against him also. To say from media side that the issue is being ignored and no action is being taken by the State Government is absolutely wrong. We do not make public our each step but to interpret it that we are not doing anything is not correct,” Omar said.
Omar said during his meeting with the Home Minister, he has discussed with him the steps taken for relief and rehabilitation of the people affected in the recent floods in Jammu and Kashmir.
“We have given a memorandum yesterday. An inter- ministerial team will visit Jammu and Kashmir soon. They will then decide a package,” he said.
Referring to the tension along the border with Pakistan, Omar said flag meetings between the forces of the two countries were important as tension could be reduced through talks in such meetings so that ceasefire comes into force.
But security forces have to retaliate if there is fire from across the border as they were targeting civilian areas, he said.
The State Government wants the ceasefire to be maintained, he said.
Omar also called on Defence Minister Arun Jaitley and discussed with him the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
The focus of the discussion between Omar and Rajnath among other things was rehabilitation of flood affected families of Kashmir and providing necessary succour to the civil population living on borders and LoC bearing the brunt of firing and shelling from across the borders.
The Chief Minister highlighted the need of granting special assistance package to Jammu and Kashmir to rebuild the State after devastating and the unprecedented floods. Restoring the shattered economy and reconstructing the damaged public infrastructure also come up for discussion in the meeting.
He sought extension of package for border people who are commonly confronted with shelling and firing from across. He said the life, property; livestock, crops and economic activities of these people are victim of firing from across. He said these people have remained constant target of shelling for last over 60 years as such their proper rehabilitation and safeguarding is need of the hour for which the Chief Minister advocated liberal financial support from the Centre.
Omar mentioned the memorandum sent by the State Government for flood affected families as also the proposals for safeguarding the people living on borders. He expressed the hope that the Union Government would approve the memorandum and other proposals in this regard and extend every support to the State for its reconstruction and sorting out problems particularly confronting the flood affected population and the border people.
The Union Home Minister assured the Chief Minister of all the help from the Union Government for the reconstruction and rebuilding of the State and providing help to border people.
The Chief Minister expressed his gratitude to the Union leadership and Home Minister for the support and help given to Jammu and Kashmir State in carrying out rescue and relief operations in the hour of crisis.
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